Rolling Stones Still Have It: Foreign Tongues Delivers Grit, Space, and Surprises
Marc Burrows’ review finds Foreign Tongues largely proves The Rolling Stones still have their grit and groove, with Watt’s production giving the songs a punchy, expansive feel and high-profile guests like Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, and even a posthumous Charlie Watts moment adding weight. The album spans multiple decades of rock and yields three standout tracks that hold up alongside the band’s classics, but it’s hampered by overlong runtimes and moments where the production flattens dynamics and the choruses sound overly glossy. If anything, it confirms the Stones aren’t chasing relevance so much as continuing to make music for the fun of it, closing with a vintage Chuck Berry cover that seals the full-circle moment. A flawed but engaging late-career statement that’s worth a listen.
